The use of Artificial Intelligence is increasing globally and in more contexts, resulting in rapid technological advances. With this age of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning – coined as the Fourth Industrial Revolution – it is important to understand how to incorporate it safely into sectors such as marketing and advertising, while also understanding its shortfalls. Exploding Topics (2024) found that about 48% of businesses utilise AI to analyse data, and estimate that over the next few years the AI market will increase by more than six times!

AI has notable benefits in marketing as it is able to analyse huge quanitites of data, identify patterns, and use this to inform future predictions. This has applications in understanding consumer behaviour, targeting, and quantifying engagement and conversions. In marketing, it’s important to reach the right user at the right time, and AI makes this significantly easier. If a user is browsing a certain product or interested in a certain hobby, AI can use this data, and that of other users, to deliver ads when users are most likely to convert. It is also vital in identifying new potential customers based on similar behaviour patterns. In fact, according to data published by Harvard Business Review, AI algorithms may increase leads in advertising by up to 50%, and potentially decreasing costs by about 60% through providing insight into a customer’s behaviour.

Another benefit of AI is it’s ability to attribute value to different touchpoints in a user’s journey before converting. If a customer is served a YouTube ad, followed by a Facebook ad, and then subsequently convert in-store, AI is able to provide a more cohesive understanding of how each point contributed to the final conversion – so that this information can be used to inform future channel prioritisations and resource allocation.

While AI can be an incredibly important addition to a marketing campaign, it can’t replace the creativity and intuition of humans.
A recent survey by Pew Research found that more than half of participants could identify the difference between human and AI generated content and 70% of participants were worried businesses would use AI to write product descriptions, highlighting the need to maintain the authenticity that only humans can provide in marketing. Additionally, AI needs input from humans on where to go and what to do – AI isn’t familiar with the objectives and long term goals of a business and this human guidance is crucial. The most successful campaigns will be those that utilise AI to excel in data analysis and efficiency, and humans to bring strategic, nuanced thinking and creativity. 
While AI can be an incredibly important addition to a marketing campaign, it can’t replace the creativity and intuition of humans.
A recent survey by Pew Research found that more than half of participants could identify the difference between human and AI generated content and 70% of participants were worried businesses would AI to write product descriptions, highlighting the need to maintain the authenticity that only humans can provide in marketing. Additionally, AI needs input from humans on where to go and what to do – AI isn’t familiar with the objectives and long term goals of a business and this human guidance is crucial. The most successful campaigns will be those that utilise AI to excel in data analysis and efficiency, and humans to bring strategic, nuanced thinking and creativity.